as in spectators
someone who sees or watches something
bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging
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Recent Examples of bystanders
Videos recorded by bystanders showed Pretti was disarmed before an agent open fire on him.
—
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Jan. 2026
Immediately following the brawl, bystanders began to leave, and local police were called to the scene by a concerned citizen who believed an individual had either been hurt or killed.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Several bystanders recorded videos of the encounter from different angles.
—Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 26 Jan. 2026
About two minutes before shots were fired, several agents are seen detaining a person on a street as bystanders blow whistles, honk car horns and record video, according to one video filmed from a nearby car.
—Thomas Bordeaux, CNN Money, 25 Jan. 2026
There isn’t much consistency to the rule, nor much logic to the fact that bystanders seem to turn a blind eye as the boys are continually brutalized.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
But despite Noem's claims, multiple videos by bystanders and observers at the scene of the shooting published on social media appear to tell a different story.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
The suspects were then confronted by bystanders and left the area without the victim's belongings.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Holt even braved the chilly weather and stepped out of his car to greet bystanders early in the parade.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 19 Jan. 2026
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Jan. 2026
Immediately following the brawl, bystanders began to leave, and local police were called to the scene by a concerned citizen who believed an individual had either been hurt or killed.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Several bystanders recorded videos of the encounter from different angles.
—Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 26 Jan. 2026
About two minutes before shots were fired, several agents are seen detaining a person on a street as bystanders blow whistles, honk car horns and record video, according to one video filmed from a nearby car.
—Thomas Bordeaux, CNN Money, 25 Jan. 2026
There isn’t much consistency to the rule, nor much logic to the fact that bystanders seem to turn a blind eye as the boys are continually brutalized.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
But despite Noem's claims, multiple videos by bystanders and observers at the scene of the shooting published on social media appear to tell a different story.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
The suspects were then confronted by bystanders and left the area without the victim's belongings.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Holt even braved the chilly weather and stepped out of his car to greet bystanders early in the parade.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystanders
Noun
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But unfortunately for the paying customers who watched at Target Center, those big names were also spectators watching in street clothes.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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As spectators, we are cursed to be onlookers — powerless to help, despite our desire to.—
Blake Simons,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Industry observers expect contract discussions to resurface in 2026, potentially as early as the second half of the year, according to The Korea Herald.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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In response, the Iranian authorities launched a brutal crackdown on protests, according to observers.—
Somayeh Malekian,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The video quickly went viral, reaching over 2 million views with many viewers assuming the image was authentic.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Footage of the shooting has divided viewers, with finger-pointing over who was the aggressor and who was the victim.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bystanders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystanders. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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